Electric switch.



No. 797,433.- PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905.

E. M. HEWLETT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4,-1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD M. HEWLETT, OF SOHENECTADY, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEIV YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. HEWLETT, a citizen of the United States, residingat Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switches for controlling electric circuits, and especially to switches used for starting electric motors by gradually cutting out resistance from the circuit. The invention is useful, however, in many different situations, and I shall therefore describe it as a multiple-pole switch wherein a movable blade makes contact successively with a plurality of clips.

The object I have in view is to prevent the movement of the bladefrom clip to clip too rapidly or the passing of a clip without dwelling thereon for an appreciable time in order to prevent too sudden a rush of current through a motor or other translating device. I accomplish this by providing the blade with a detent which automatically arrests said blade at each step of its travel and requires the manipulation of a releasing device before the blade can be moved farther.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail'view on a larger scale.

The blade 1 is pivoted in a clip 2, mounted on the panel 3 of insulation and makes contact successively with the stationary clips 4, each of which has a terminal connection 5 at The blade is preferably double, so as to straddle a stationary semicircular ratchet 6, secured to the panel and having its edge provided with teeth 7,

which have one abrupt face 8 and one inclined face 9. The abrupt faces are all faced the same way, so that a pawl 10 pivoted on the blade at 11 will engage with said teeth when the blade is moved in one direction, but will slide freely over them when moved in the other direction. In order to disengage the toe of the pawl 10 from the teeth, its heel is connected with a manual operating device, preferably a rod 12, extending up through and projecting above the handle 13 of the blade. The lower end of the rod is preferably secured to a slide 14, sliding between the two members of the double blade and connected by a pivoted link 15 with the heel of the pawl 10, which is pivoted at a point between its heel and toe. A spring 16 keeps the rod and the slide and the heel of the pawl normally raised so that the toe of the pawl points downward.

Adetent 17 is pivoted at one end on the pin 11, its other end extending beyond the toe of the pawl. A link 18 is pivoted to the detent between its ends and is attached to the slide by a pin-and-slot connection. A spring 19 urges the detent downward.

A spring 20 is coiled about the pivot of the switch-blade and urges it to the ofl' position. A hook 21 on the slide is arranged to engage with a hook 22 on the panel and hold the blade in the full on position.

The operation is as follows: When the parts stand as shown in dotted lines, the detent rests on top of a tooth and the toe of the pawl abuts against the abrupt face of said tooth and prevents further movement of the blade toward the full-on position. To release it, the rod 12 must be pushed in. This moves the slide inwardly and depresses the heel of the pawl, thereby lifting its toe until it can pass over the tooth; but the inward movement of the slide compresses the spring 19, so that when the blade moves forward said spring forces the detent downward into the space between that tooth and the next and causes it to bring up against the abrupt face of said next tooth. hen the rod 12 is released and its spring 16 lifts it, the detent is lifted above the tooth, but the pawl is simultaneously tilted down into engagement with it. As the detent extends beyond the pawl, it will rest on the tooth in readiness for the next step. It thus appears that by alternately pressing and releasing the rod 12 the pawl and the dctent can be alternately engaged with the teeth of the ratchet and the blade moved forward step by step until the final position is reached and the hooks engage to hold the switch full on. To release it, a momentary pressure on the rod will disengage the hooks, and the spring 20 will then throw the blade around to the off position against the buffer 23.

I/Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination with a movable switchblade, of a curved ratchet, a pawl and a detent, pivoted on said blade, and cooperating with said ratchet, and means for operating said pawl and detent simultaneously.

2. The combination with a movable switchblade, of a curved ratchet, a pawl and a detent pivoted on said blade and cooperating with said ratchet, and means for simultaneously lifting the pawl and depressing the detent.

3. The combination with a movable switchblade, of a curved ratchet, a pawl pivoted between its ends and a detent pivoted at one end to said blade, and a sliding member connected with one end of the pawl and with the detent at a point between its ends.

4. The combination with a movable switchblade, of a curved ratchet, a pawl pivoted between its ends and a detent pivoted at one end to said blade, a slide, and links connecting said slide with the heel of the pawl and with a point between the ends of the detent.

5. The combination with a movable switchblade, of a curved ratchet, a pawl pivoted between its ends and a detent pivoted at one end to said blade, a slide, links connecting said slide with the heel of the pawl and with a point between the ends of the detent, and a spring urging said detent downward.

6. The combination with a movable switchblade, of a curved ratchet, a pawl pivoted between its ends and a detent pivoted at one end to said blade, a slide, links connecting said slide with the heel of the pawl and with a point between the ends.o't' the detent, a spring urging said detent downward, and a spring-lifted rod attached to said slide.

7. The combination with a movable switchblade, of a curved ratchet having teeth provided with abrupt faces on one side and inclined ones on the other, a pawl pivoted on said blade, adetent also pivoted on said blade and extending beyond said pawl, and means for simultaneously raising and depressing said. pawl and detent.

8. The combination with a movable double switch-blade, of a curved ratchet between the two members of said blade, a pawl pivoted between its ends to said blade, a detent pivoted at one end to said blade, and, extending beyond said pawl, a slide, a link connecting the heel of the pawl with said slide, a link pivoted to said detent between its ends and having a pin-and-slot connection with said slide, and a spring urging said detent downward.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of November, 1904.

EDTVARD M. HEW LET". Vitnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD. 

